DoSomething: Puerto Rico Earthquakes

While much of the world’s attention has been focused on the bushfires ravaging Australia, a series of devastating earthquakes has left Puerto Rico in a state of emergency. From Google search trends to the speed of governmental response, the situation in Puerto Rico unfortunately hasn’t received the same amount of global concern -- not even from the US (despite Puerto Ricans being US citizens).

We get it. There’s a lot going on in the world right now, and it can be hard to keep up with it all. So here’s everything you need to know about the earthquakes in Puerto Rico, plus a few ways you can help.

What Happened?

• From late December to mid January, the island of Puerto Rico has experienced a series of earthquakes and tremors. So far, they’ve had 1,280 earthquakes with more than two dozen at magnitude 4.5 or higher.
• The two largest earthquakes struck on Jan. 7 (magnitude 6.4) and Jan. 9 (magnitude 5.9). These are the strongest quakes to hit the region in over 100 years.
• Puerto Rico declared a state of emergency on Jan. 7, and over the past few weeks, the island has experienced power outages, destroyed infrastructure, and mass displacement.
• The United States Geological Survey has outlined some possible scenarios for what’s coming next. The most likely (79% chance) is that the aftershocks will continue over the next month, with some capable of reaching magnitude 5.0.
• Even smaller quakes are a concern for Puerto Rico, where 70% of structures (including 500 public schools) were built before seismic building codes were established, and the government doesn’t have a formal protocol in place for earthquake-related emergencies.

What’s Being Done?

• President Donald Trump declared the situation in Puerto Rico a “major disaster” and announced aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for recovery efforts (though details remain vague).
• Simultaneously, (after months of delay and with severe restrictions) the Department of Housing and Urban Development released an aid package that was allocated to help Puerto Rico rebuild after Hurricane Maria in 2017.
• From US veterans and volunteers to major companies and celebrities, people nationwide are supporting Puerto Rico’s earthquake recovery and relief.
• Airbnb hosts are offering temporary housing to folks displaced by the earthquakes, and one pet rescue group is even helping displaced pups.

What Can I Do?

1. Urge your representatives to stand with Puerto Rico. Puerto Ricans are US citizens, and they deserve to be treated like it. Sign this petition to demand that Congress provide Puerto Ricans with government help and transparency.

2. Support medical and mental health care for Puerto Ricans. These earthquakes and Hurricane Maria before them have taken a huge toll on Puerto Rico’s collective mental health. Donate to DirectRelief to help mobilize healthcare providers on the island.

3. Help feed folks displaced by the earthquakes. Just over one week after the earthquake, World Central Kitchen (WCK) has served more than 100,000 meals to over 90 locations in Puerto Rico. Donate to WCK to help provide evacuees with hot meals and solar-power lamps.

4. Contribute to disaster relief and recovery efforts. In the wake of Hurricane Maria, MaríaFund coordinated with community leaders and organizers to help Puerto Rico rebuild. Donate to MaríaFund’s Earthquake Response to support organizations that are already in action on the road to recovery.